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Many of us with indigenous roots have a strong sense of community with friends and family – a trait that has allowed our people to survive tough hardship since the European colonization of the Americas. Today, some of our community building is plagued by frivolous spending, criminal behaviors, and alcoholism. Our ancestors, however, built their communities through ceremony and rituals, incorporating song, dance, worship, and group activities. Recently, we had the rare privilege and honor to participate in a two day ceremony where we caught a glimpse of how our ancestors built their communities. In it, we found tremendous strength, beauty, and wisdom.

Celebration of a Spring Fertility Goddess

The ceremony began with the celebration of Cipactli (also known as Tlalteotl), a destructive and yet regenerative feminine Earth goddess. We fasted with nothing but water to drink, a sacrifice to Cipactli in recognition for her providing all that we need to live. During the day of fast we worked, and were split into groups with each group having a task – even the children had a task. Afterward, we gathered to listen as an elder told us the story of how Cipactli, a fearsome and all-consuming goddess with many mouths and eyes, fought with Tezcatlipoca, a masculine creator god. During the battle, Tezcatlipoca and his brother Quetzalcoatl transformed into serpents and tore her in two. The bottom half became the heavens, and the top half became the Earth. However, Tezcatlipoca did not escape harm and had his foot bitten off by Cipactli, which was later replaced by a mirror.

Symbols are used in science to represent ideas that require more explanation, for example, the formula E=mc2. The myths of ancient cultures work in a similar way. The meaning of the Aztec myth of Cipactli becomes more clear if we look at another ancient myth with very similar symbology found in Indian culture. In India, the most common symbol of a destructive feminine god can be found in the myth of Kali and Shiva. In this myth Kali, a goddess of destruction, begins slaying men and demons alike, and can only be assuaged when her consort Shiva arrives and lies motionless on the ground, allowing Kali to dance on his body. It is only through this act of surrender that Kali is calmed and the universe restored to balance.

Kali and Shiva

Among other things, both Cipactli and Kali are cosmic representations of the concept of entropy – the tendency of all life to disintegrate and be destroyed. In nature, entropy plays a critical role in the regeneration of life – cells must die to make way for new ones, winter clears the way for the abundance of spring, the explosive formation of stars results in conditions ideal for life to arise, etc. This basic idea must have been obvious to ancient cultures, and it should come as no surprise that in the Aztec and Indian traditions, both Cipactli and Kali are not only goddesses of destruction, but also of creation, which is why Cipactli is celebrated during spring.

Another clue to the meaning of this Aztec myth is that in the Indian tradition, Shiva represents the pure consciousness behind the universe. In that tradition, for life to arise in the physical universe, pure consciousness must take a part of itself and combine it with Kali, the essence of physical reality, to create living beings. Tezcatlipoca made this sacrifice when his foot was bitten off, which is essentially the same sacrifice as Shiva’s submission to the dance of Kali. The mirror on Tezcatlipoca’s foot symbolizes self-awareness, a feature inherent to sentient life.

The Serpents and Kundalini

Modern science has no clear explanation as to why dead matter should self-organize and evolve into life in the first place, or why living organisms should be self-aware or conscious at all. It seems strange to assume that there is no underlying intelligence in such an orderly and self-directed universe. Ancient cultures likely asked similar questions, but instead of looking for answers through the material sciences, they turned their attention toward the inner world of consciousness.

The myths of Mesoamerica suggest that they, like the Egyptians and Indians, had discovered a biological mechanism in the body responsible for the evolution of consciousness and the brain, and all spiritual experiences. The ancient Indians called this mechanism “Kundalini,” meaning “coiled serpent power.” Kundalini is often depicted as two serpents, Ida and Pingala, which represent the lunar and solar aspects of consciousness. They are coiled around the spinal column which they called Sushumna. In Mesoamerica, similar symbolisms can be found in the god Quetzalcoatl. What is interesting is that modern science has a very similar idea of the nervous system, in which the parasympathetic (Ida) and sympathetic (Pingala) branches of the nervous system control many functions of the body.

The Caduceus is an ancient symbol likely representing Kundalini. Quetzalcoatl was sometimes referred to as the “feathered serpent”

When European invaders swept into the Americas and Egypt, it is likely that thousands of years of accumulated knowledge on the subject was destroyed through murder and outright vandalism. The destruction of the Aztec and Mayan Codices in America and the Library of Alexandria in Egypt are examples of this type of ignorant destruction of wisdom. Because of the geographical boundaries and difficulties in sending in military forces from Europe, one system of wisdom still remains largely intact – that of India. These three great cultures, the wisdom cultures of the Americas, the Indians, and the Egyptians, have always been united by a common thread of ancestral wisdom.

In the Indian tradition, when pure consciousness (Shiva) manifests itself in physical form, the universe arises in that person as the experience of life. When that person dies, the universe ceases to exist. Cipactli was split in half by two serpents at the moment the heavens and Earth were created, suggesting that consciousness is what creates the universe. We believe these serpents represent the dual nature of the nervous system and human consciousness. In another Aztec myth, the gods of life and death appear with spines united, in similar fashion as Ida and Pingala.

Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl

When Kundalini begins working in the body, physical symptoms related to the nervous system are extremely common. According to our research, one of the most common physical symptoms related to Kundalini is sensing energy or tingling up the spine. The reproductive system may also play an important role in the Kundalini process by delivering a more potent fuel to the brain through the spine, which helps bring about spiritual experiences, and ultimately higher consciousness.

Awakening Ancient Wisdom

We believe that these two ancient myths are based on profound spiritual experiences. In a rare number of these cases, the limits of the normal human brain are transcended in an experience we call Higher Consciousness. In a recent study conducted by the Emerging Sciences Foundation, data from hundreds of individuals around the world revealed a pattern within the most profound of these experiences, which is characterized by:

The experience of super-consciousness, in which consciousness itself is seen as an independent and concrete reality.

The unshakeable conviction of being one with the entire universe.

Something in the experience which leads to the immediate loss of fear of death.

The experience of revelation, i.e., when a person not only receives information from a source beyond the physical, but comes into direct contact with the source of that knowledge.

Intense joy and peace, often described as being many times more powerful than sexual orgasm or falling in love.

The consciousness perceived in this state, its interaction with the world of the senses, and the spiritual experiences leading up to it, is something that has been written about for thousands of years, and is very likely at the root of the Cipactli and Kali myths.

One of the the most important changes that occurs as a result of Kundalini is the transformation of personality. Our research suggests that a person with a properly functioning Kundalini generally has a lack of greed and materialism, is more loving, and is more sensitive to the well-being of the world and those around them. If we take a look back at history and examine all of the civilizations that fell, we find inequality and immorality as a common thread. This happens when we live against the laws of the Kundalini mechanism regulating the brain, which demand a more moral personality in order to evolve properly. The myths and religions of the world exist today, even after thousands of years, because of these laws. A very simple modern day example of how we can see society living against these laws is Donald Trump and his influence on so many people. When the cells in our body are no longer serving the greater whole in a healthy way, they often destroy themselves through a process called programmed cell death, or apoptosis. It’s clear that if Trump becomes the next president, a nuclear war is closer than we think.

An Emerging Sciences Foundation research visualization showing the correlations between higher consciousness and other Kundalini experiences

In times like these, sacrifice becomes critically important. The most important sacrifice is not of material possessions or even of the physical body, but is instead an offering of our own personalities. The finished products of the Kundalini mechanism – all the great saints and mystics of history – were in essence reborn into their same body as a servant for humanity and the Earth. Both Shiva and Tezcatlipoca were giving of themselves in this way. We find in our work and in our research that the true sacrifice is one that is done in the flesh, for something greater than yourself.

On the final day of the ceremony we were united by a single thread as we walked to a nearby mountain to reenact our ancestors’ nomadic journey. The morning sun embraced us with its warmth, and soon we were amongst the clouds. When we came to our resting point and sat together, we learned songs that were sung in Nahuatl – an Aztec language with many dialects. When we returned, we were greeted as travelers, welcomed as sisters and brothers, and served a delicious feast of native foods. It was truly beautiful.

On top of a mountain during the final day of the ceremony

We believe that there are two threads that unite our people – one visible, and one hidden. One thread is the thread of our ancestry and cultural heritage which has bound our people together for ages. The other thread is one of wisdom that runs through all people and the fabric of the universe. The time has come to weave both of these threads together and end our disconnected way of living by unifying ancient wisdom with current understanding. Our ancestors believed everything to be sacred. Through ceremony and rituals, they helped preserve balance with the Earth, strengthen the community, and bring about a happiness that no amount of material possessions can bring.

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14 Comments

Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful experience and for continuing to educate people about this evolutionary process. This is a well done description of ancient stories and myths and how they represent this marvelous process of transformation that awaits us all. These stories that have been passed down with so much care are the treasure that we have been looking for and to think that it has been within us all along. Wonderful.

Ivan Kovacs

June 17, 2016

Dear Friends,

Kundalini should be left alone until she awakes of her own accord. Anyone tampering with her is literally playing with fire. Even such illustrious people like J. Krishnamurti, who claims that anyone can achieve enlightenment in one lifetime is grossly deluded. The only safe way to spiritual enlightenment is practicing the virtues, develop the rational mind, then the abstract mind, and concentrate on the love nature. Once a person has achieved this to an acceptably high level, he should develop the will. Only then is he ready to deal with kundalini, but not before that.

I know that this message will not be favourably received, but that is no longer my business.

The Emerging Sciences Foundation

November 23, 2016

Hi Ivan,

Thanks for your feedback. We agree that attempting to awaken Kundalini can be very risky, especially in today’s mental atmosphere. The world needs more spiritual geniuses, and future proposed experimentation on Kundalini includes its voluntary activation in a certain number of people. We’re not sure where Krishnamurti said that anyone can achieve enlightenment within a lifetime, but if he did say so, he was grossly underestimating the colossal task of upgrading the human brain from normal to super-human status. Krishnamurti was a philosopher and not a Kundalini researcher, so any commentary on enlightenment on his part should be taken with a grain of salt. We agree that cultivating virtues, a rational mind, love of nature, etc. are essential to a healthy awakening process.

Rachel

Glen Payne

June 17, 2016

What a wonderful reflection of ancient and contemporary wisdom. Your publications continue to provide inspiration and confidence to those individuals undergoing Kundalini awakening – a journey that is by it’s very nature deeply personal and at times confronting. Thank you again for the important work that you do.

Dorethy

Karen

February 26, 2017

My teenage son & I are both experiencing our Kundalini awakening. I’d love to discuss our symptoms with anyone interested & wish to learn more about it. We’ve both been through some dramatic, stressful times & I have had near death experiences in my past (I’m now 48 yrs old) If anyone is available to contact me I’d love to hear their experiences. I’m wondering how long will this whole transition take & should I do anything to speed up this process? Thankyou

The Emerging Sciences Foundation

March 22, 2017

Hi Karen. To connect with other people on the subject of Kundalini, you may want to try Brilliano.com. If you’d like to contribute data about your experiences, you can submit your data through the Kundalini Experimental Project.

Thank you. All that you have concluded is correct. I have experienced all of the above myself since 1964 when my Kundalini became fully awakened.
These are very critical times that we are experiencing and we must be positive in seeking to restore peace and to reform Western Society.

Atma Singh

June 21, 2016

Through many decades I’ve been intrigued by notions of higher consciousness, and in particular learning how the “threads” of consciousness are related to us not only from locations all around the planet, but through the whole of human existence. I love correlations of “myths” and/or history showing…such as are exhibited in this article…indicating the “dovetailing” of multicultural knowledge pointing to one Universal consciousness.

The concept of Kundalini is one of those “universal” subjects which seems to give evidence of a higher consciousness, which indeed is the essence and source of all existence. For example, the equivalent of Kundalini in T’ai Chi Ch’uan is the tan t’ien. Chi, or (to put it crudely) energy in the body is generated by “sinking” into the tan or “sea of tan t’ien. In the practice of Tai Chi this is, of course done by practicing Tai Chi movements. From there chi is activated and provides higher energies leading to higher consciousness; much the same as meditation, yogic postures an mantras are practiced to realize Kundalini…virtually the same processes.

That such practices exist, and have existed, in most cultures around the world throughout millennia is a wonderful thing! It gives credibility to mankind’s ability to realize within the true nature of creation, life and existence.

My issue with this particular article, however, is how it reaches for, and potentially demonstrates a correlation between the Aztec and Indian cultures relating to higher consciousness as it exists within humanity, then sinks to propagandize about a possible Donald Trump presidency. It’s like taking us soaring to culturally experiencing the cosmos, then taking us for a dive into the cesspool of the political “maya”. To think that Donald Trump will take us into nuclear war any sooner than any of his opponents is at best ignorance. It would be a display of naivety in a 10 year old child, but coming from “educated” adults it’s simple absurdity. It’s merely fear mongering propaganda. (Interesting how at one point the article suggests the realization of losing the fear of death via higher consciousness, then attempts to induce fear via this unfounded accusation).

Before going on let me point out that I am NOT a Donald Trump fan. Neither am I a supporter of any of the corrupt minions of government, regardless of party affiliation. As the enlightened mystic Osho tells us, “…politicians are a special sort of idiots”. If idiocy and inability was their only problem it would be easier to tolerate them. However, it’s their addiction to seizing power over the rest of humanity which leads to their corruption and criminal behavior and most severly threatens human life all over the planet.

Donald Trump at least talks of reducing and putting an end to the many wars involving the U.S, and curtailing any future “unnecessary” (whatever that means) wars. He may talk in tough sounding blusters, but we must remember a president can only do so much…whatever he/she is “allowed” or “orchestrated” to do. Trump has no track record in such a political arena.

Hillary Clinton, however, has demonstrated a ruthlessness far beyond that of even The Donald’s business reputation. Leaving aside her involvement in numerous past nefarious incidences when and previous to her husband’s presidency, one only has to look at her instigating (as Secretary of State) recent tensions in Libya, the debacle in Benghazi, breaching U.S. security with the use of personal emails for classified information, and the fact that she is a staunch supporter of Netanyehu (sp?) in Israel, whose regime harbors a vast arsenal of nuclear weapons (U.S. proliferated) and refuses to join other nuclear weapon capable nations in signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Between the two crooks, I think big talking Donald would be less dangerous and less likely to lead the U.S. into nuclear war.

Government and organized religion (pretty much a redundancy) have been the bane of humanity through humanity’s existence. Entropy obviously applies. History shows how the formation of “good” governments have continually collapsed to tyranny…the U.S. government included. In its naive form, the practice of repeating failed processes and expecting different results is insanity…in its calculated form it’s tyranny aimed at the enslavement of humanity by unscrupulous, “leaders” suffering from megalomania.

I have been intrigued by EFS and its approach to Kundalini research (I’ve been involved Kundalini yoga for a few years and find it beneficial to health and conducive to stimulating awareness), but had I been in charge of screening their articles, I would have either requested the authors delete the ill informed political propaganda or would have refused the article altogether (of course there’s always the possibility that EFS is also mired in political tripe and in opposition to Trump – hey, what’s a little propaganda among friends, right?).

Higher consciousness and politics are the antithesis of each other. Only through the dropping of the ego yielding the allowance of higher consciousness will humanity evolve to its higher form. It is happening! Albeit it’s a long process…the result of which we will not witness while here in our human form.

This article begins to help us see some correlations of the pursuit and awareness of higher consciousness, but then forfeits its credibility with absurd presumptions.

Please Mr. and Mrs. Molina…shake off the political manure and continue with your intended higher purpose.

Ajit PrasadLenka

August 28, 2016

Really speaking, I know KUNDALINI from scriptures. However, after a big physical suffering I could feel the beauty in everything around me. The cool breeze before sunrise, the green leaves of tree dancing with wind, the clouds in sky, themovement of smallest creature like ants to the cows, buffalos and elephants and the powerful midday sun too make a wholesome feeling, a family together feeling. Still I wish to learn it the ceremonial way.

mary

January 20, 2018

Atma, I agree 100% about the political jab that was put in there about Trump. the article was a wonderful read up till the insert of Donald Trump. IMMEDIATELY my attention was lost to what was being read.
whether or not you are a supporter of Trump, you completely ruined the article by inserting a PERSONAL OPINION. what you just put out there was a negative, that has been read by many people. has created an emotion within EACH person that reads it. if you are SERIOUSLY studying Kundalini, wouldnt you have just the basic common sense that putting any direct political commentary in an article, could and would usurp someone elses thoughts an aspirations as to whether or not your website is worth joining??????
Its very upsetting and frustrating when im visiting new sites, as im new to all this spiritual stuff, that none of you seem to be the REAL DEAL.
Even I am above this type of crap.
want to see your site grow?
keep your personal political views off of it.

The Emerging Sciences Foundation

May 12, 2018

Hi Mary, Atma,

One common mistake people make is to believe that Kundalini and Kundalini research is somehow limited to spirituality and spiritual practices. Kundalini, according to our hypothesis, is an evolutionary energy and therefore impacts all spheres of human life, politics included. Trump represents a significant moral shift in America and the rest of the world – you’d have to live on the moon not to notice this fact. The point that Atma and you are missing entirely is that the overt immorality of Trump, without even the pretense of morality that we see in other leaders, is something that historically foreshadows catastrophe. Kundalini is the intelligent energy governing the course and direction of human life, and it is this same energy that brings despots into power whenever a political order is no longer serving the evolutionary needs of the species. The reason this is possible is because Kundalini is directly responsible for the evolution of the human brain on a global scale, as well as individually. About your comment about personal opinion, you may not have noticed, but this is a blog, which typically contain personal opinion. We are first and foremost citizens of this world, and secondly researchers. Sorry if that fact bothers you.

In any case, we’re working on creating a YouTube video to address the points you and Atma raised, in which we’ll show a clear link between Kundalini and what we see unfolding on the world’s political stage.